Developing tank



- 239 i9. F. Hicom- Zig/94% DEVELOPING TANK Filed July 27', 1939 Patented Jan. 23, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,181,941;l nEvELormG TANK Francis Moore,

Specialty Company, composed of Stanley Chicago, Ill., assignor to Albert Chicago, Ill., a partnership Fleschand Harold Flesch Application July 27, i939, Serial No. 286,766

11 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to photographic apparatus and is more particularly concerned with developing tanks utilized for developing, washing, and fixing photographic lms.

The object and general nature of this invention is the provision of a developing tank which is adjustable to accommodate photographic lm of diierent widths and which is so constructed that when adjusted for any particular width of iilm the reel of the tank is held iirmly and securely in adjustment without anydanger ci the reel heads loosening or permitting the dlin to disengage from the heads, yet the reel and film is movable freely within the tank and its light tion so that the iilm is developed quickly and uniformly. Adjustable developing tanks heretofore provided have embodied inconvenient or unreliable means ior holding the reel heads in adjusted position` For example, some oi the prior developing tanks have embodied spring detent means for holding the :movable head in adjusted position, reliance being placed upon the spring member for maintaining the reel in adjustment. Other prior constructions have embodied shiftable parts dependent upon attachment to the tank cover itself or dependent upon engagement with the film to maintain the desired adjustment.

It is a eature of this invention to improve upon such constructions by providing a new form of adjustable developing tank in which the reel includes a shiftable head held in adjusted posi-1 tion by a plurality of interchangeable spacing members which can be firmly clamped in position so that there is no possibility or" the reel heads loosening and getting out of adjustment, yet at the same time the means on the tank and tank cover receiving the agitating movement within the tank and holds the reel in the 'same position, independently ol the particular position in which the shlitable reel head has been adjustably ilzred.

These and other objects and advantages oi the vpresent invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred forms oi my invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: n .50 Figure l is a sectional view of a developing tank embodying the principles of the present invention, being a view taken generally along the line l-l ci Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a view taken along the line 2--2 oi cover to permit a complete and eiectiveagitaf reel supports the latter for Figure 3 is a view of the screw threaded tubular rod upon which the spacing collars and the adjustable reel head are mounted;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the spacing collars;

Figure 5 is a view showing a modified form'o reel which may be used in place of the reel shown in Figure l; and l Figure 6 is a fragmentary section taken along the line rl-6 of Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figures l to 4, the developing tank as shownvcomprises a cylindrical container 2 having a closed bottom 3 and an open top l, the container 2 being formed at its open l15y end with spaced light intercepting anges 5 and t. The container i is adapted to receive a removable cover l, the central portion of which is formed with a funnel section t and a short tubular element or spout 9 in the central portion of do the cover, the periphery of which carries three light intercepting ilanges i i, i2, and i3, as shown, these iianges cooperating with the flanges 5 and ,t on the container 2 to establish the light trap whereby, even though the outer flanges 5 and gg il on the container and cover, respectively, are intended to nt snugly, any light filtering through the outer flanges will be stopped by the inner flanges, thereby protecting the hlm being developed from being logged. The spout 9 of the g@ funnel t extends inwardly a substantial distance below the general plane of the cover l for a reason which will appear below. Within the receptacle 2 is disposed a rcel structure indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral l5 and which 35 comprises upper and lower discs or reel heads IS and ll. 'we reel heads i6 and Il on adjacent surfaces are each provided .with groove dening ribs l@ and i9. .as best shown in Figure 2, `these ribs are arranged spirally, thereby defining spiral 4@ passages for holding roll lm for development, but it will be understood that, if desired, the grooves or ribs may be arranged to radiate from the center, thereby accommodating cut nlm. Each reel head is formed with a number of reinforc- 45 ing arms or spokes 2l radiating from the center of the disc and serving to support the ribs. It will be understood that the developing tank may be formed of any suitable material, but Bakelite or other plasticis preferred since with such material` it isconvenient to form each of the reel heads it and ll as one integral part. As will be understood, the film to be developed is threaded endwise into the grooves or passages deiined by the ribs i8 andl, the entrance opening into w also best shown in this figure, each reel head is provided with openings 24 between the ribs I9 to provide for the free ow of developing or fixing solution or rinsing water.-

The bottom 3 of the container 2 is provided with a central stud 21 and anannular ange or rib 29 concentric with the stud' 21, there being relatively short rounded projections or studs 29 between the central stud 21 and the flange 28. The lower reel head I1 carries a depending flange 3| and a central depending section 32, the latter being adapted to rest on the projections 29 inside oi the ilange 28 on the bottom of the container, while the outer depending reel head flange 3| is disposed outside of the container ange 28, thereby providing a light trap or seal at this point, while, at the same time, the reel I5 is supported slightly above the bottom of the container to provide for a free flow of liquid throughout all parts of the reel. y

The lower reel head I1 is provided with an upwardly extending central hub 35, preferably formed integral with the reel head, the hub being in the form of a tubular extension provided with screw threads 36 on the interior. The hub 35 extends upwardly and terminates in a shoulder 31. The hub receives the lower screw threaded end 33 of a tubular connecting member 40' constructed in the form of a rod having an annular knurled iiange or head 4I extending radially outwardly and having a diameter greater than the diameter of the central hub 35. The upper reel head or disc I6 carries a short hub 43v having a central opening 44 to receive the tubular connectinglmember 40, as best shown in Figure 1.

A plurality of spacing collars of diierent axial dimensions is indicated at 45, 41, and 48. Each spacing collar is 'provided with a lug or projection 49 anda corresponding recess 50 in the opposite end, as illustrated inFlgure 4 which shows in detail the spacing collar 41. The shoulder 31 `-ci' the lower disc hub 35 is formed with a recess or notch 52'to receive the projection or lug 49 of the associated cellen-and the upper reel head I6 is formed with a projection 49a and a recess 50av corresponding to the construction 'of the spacing collars. The recess 50a appears in dotted lines in Figure 1 since it is on the opposite side of the reel head I 6 from the projection or lug 49a, shown in Figure 1. It could, of course, be formed on thesame side as the projection or lug 49a, if desired. As best shown inFigure l, the tubular connecting member has an internal diameter substantially the same as the external diameter of the funnel spout 9, whereby the latter is received within the upper end of the tubular connecting member 40.

It will be observed that the axial dimensions' oi' the several spacing collars 43, 41, and 45 .vary, the collar having the greatest axial length while the collar v48 has the least axial length, and it will also be observed that the diameter of the collars 45, 41, and 48y is substantially the same as the external diameter of the 1 reel head I1. This is necessary in'order to thread by spring detent means,-

side or the other of the adjustable reel head I5.

For the narrowest iilm, which may, for example, be the 35 mm. film used in the miniature orcandid type camera, the upper 4reel head I5 is ydisposed directly against the shoulder 31, with 5 the lug 49a seating inthe notch 52, all o! the spacing collars 46, 41, and 43 being disposed between the outer face of the reel 'head I6 and the knurled anged head 4I of the tubular connecting member 40. The purpose in having the 10 lug 19aengage the notch 52 isto make sure that the ribs I8 and I9 are arranged in opposed registry, that is, the ribs I8 andv I9 are arranged so that the opening 23 of the upper disc or reel I5 is directly opposite the opening 23 in the lower the illm easily and conveniently into the grooves or passages defined by the ribs I8' and I9. In assembling the spacing collars 46, 41, and 48v on the outside of the upper head I5, it is immaterial in which order the spacing collars are assembled. The lug 49 on the lowermost collar will be engaged in the notch or recess a of the upper head I6, and then the projection 49 on theV next vouter collar will engage the notch 50 of the lower collar. The outer collar is assembled in a similar manner, and since the outer edge or end of the outer collar is the portion which is 'provided with the notch, it will be seen that this outer end or edge of the outer collar flts snugly 30 against the shoulder provided by the ilanged head 4l ci' the tubular member. Screwing the threaded end 38 of the latter. into the threaded bore of thevtubular extension 35 then securely fixes the various parts of the reel in position, and at 86 the same time the clamping engagement of the parts eil'ected bythe tubular connecting member 40 securely holds the upper and lower reel heads against relative rotation.

It it should be desired to adjust the reel for 40 lm oi' a width greater than the axial dimension of the tubular extension 35, one of the spacing collars is disposed between the tubular extension 35 and the upper reel head I8. For example, the collar 48 maybe disposed between the upper head I8 and the lower head I1, as shown in Figure 1, in which case the lug 49 of the collar 45 rests in the notch 52 and the lug 49a oi ythe upper head I8 is disposed in the notch 55 of the collar 46. The variousv notches and lugs are formed so that, by this means,- the head I5 is held in the proper position relative to the lower head I1 so that the openings .23 are directly Iopposite one another and the iilm receiving grooves are in position to receive al nlm threaded into the reel. The other two spacing collars 41 and 43 are then disposed outside the upper end I9, between the latter and the head 4I of the tubular connecting member 40.

In this way, using various spacers, either on the inside or outside, or both, of the upper head l5, any ofthe widely used lms of commercial widths available at the present time 'may be accommodated, yet in each instance the upper head l5 is held in the proper position relative to the lower head I1 to dispose the ribs and iilm receiving openings 23,directly opposite each other; Therefore, no matter howl the spacing collars are arranged, when the ltubular member 43 is screwed up tight the collars and reel heads are secured together firmly vand rigidly and with practically no danger of the parts accidentally becoming disengaged as might possibly occur in v tanks where the shiftable head is held merely It will be seen that if during the operation of developing a lm, the lm should become disengaged from the grooves in the reel head, the development would be seriously affected by portions of the film coming into contact with each other which would result in uneven development.

It will also be observed that however the space ing collars are arranged whether one or all is inside or outside of the upper reel head I6, the distance between the outer or upper end of the tubular member 4I) and the lower portion of the head I1 always remains the same. The purpose of this arrangement is that the reel I5, no matter for what lm the reel heads may be adjusted, is always held in the proper position in the container v2. Referring now to Figure 1, it will be seen that the tubular extension 35 is recessed, as at 6U, to receive the central stud 21 formed on the bottom 3 of the container. This serves to center the reel in the lower portion of the container 2. At the other/end of the reel, the spout 9 rits down inside the tubular Aconnecting member Ml, thereby centering the upper end of the reel. In this way, the reel lsheld in the proper position in the container and arranged for rotation therein, entirely independently of the particular adjustment of the reel heads. The bore or central opening extending through the tubular connecting member Ml as indicated in Figures 1 and 3 by the reference numeral 62. It will also be observed that in the lower portion of the tubular extension 3E a bridge or transverse bar d3 is formed, the bore e2 communieating with the interior l'131% of the tubular eritension This permits a rod or agitator, indicated at til and having a lower slotted end d5, to be inserted into the bore t2 so that the slotted end engages the bar tft, whereby turning the upper lrnurled end or the rod tft serves to rotate the reel within the container 2. The spout entends downwardly within the bore et a sumcient distance so that no light can pass into the ,uiterior oi' the ta i, and at the lower end the stud il and cooperating anges ill, and 3i? prevent any light leakage at this point, as point- `ed out above. i portion 3 of the cover l, in conjunction with the spout isormed to provide a iunnelior pouring into the tank the desired developing, washing, or fixing solution, and it is therefore important that, no matter what the adjustment oi ,the reel may be, the latter be supported at its upper and lower ends to provide for the flow of the liquid into the tank.

Figures 5 and 6 disclose a modied form of reel structure in which the lower disc ila is provided with an integral tubular extension which extends upwardly through the spacing collars and the upper head ida. The outer end of the tubular extension 10 is threaded, as at 1I, and is provided with an internal bore 12 extending the full length of the extension 1G, the hub 35a or which corresponds to the tubular extension 35 described above and which receives the spacing collars in substantially the same manner. A nut 15 screws on to the threaded portion 1i of the extension 1B and serves to clamp the upper head iSd on the spacing collars in position, as described above in connectionwith. Figure i, the shoulder 31a on the tubular hub 35a having a notch 52d corresponding to the notch 52 shown in Figure l. The hub ein, oi the disc ila is provided with a recess 60a. to receive a center stud 21 in the bottom of the tank (see Figure l) and the interior bore at the upper end of the tubular extension 10 is arranged to receive the spout 9 of the cover 1, whereby, entirely independently of the adjustment of the reel head IGa, the reel is arranged for rotation within the developing tank and is disposed in a position to permit developing, washing, and iixing solutions to be poured into the tank when the reel is in position therein, as described above. In Figure 6, the hub or central portion of the upper reel head iBa does not extend below the ribs I8 as in Figure 1,-

but is nished off substantially flush except, of course, for the associated anchoring lug or projection 49a.

While I have shown and described above the preferred form in which the principles of the present invention have been imparted, it is to be understood that m." invention is not to Ybe limited to the specifi details shown and described above, but the in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broaderaspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable developing tank comprising a container, a cover therefor, the latter and the bottom of the container having reel-receiving means spaced apart a fixed distance, and a reel comprising upper and lower reel heads having inwardly projecting ribs forming film-receiving grooves, one oi said heads having an axial extension, the inner portion of which is threaded, and the other head having a central opening, a plurality7 of spacing collars oi various axial dimensions and the outside diameter of each being less than the diameter of the radially innermost ribs of the heads whereby the collars clear said ribs and may be disposed interchangeably between said heads and on the outside of said other head so that the latter may be placed closer to said one head than when all of said collars are placed between said heads, a threaded member adapted to be engaged with said axial extension and cooperating therewith to clamp said heads and all ci said collars together independently of whether any or all oi the latter are placed inside y or outside of said other head, and means on the reel spaced apart a fixed distance axially independently of the disposition of said collars inside or outside said other head and corresponding to the iixed spacing between the reel-receiving means on said container bottom and said cover for mounting said reel for rotation in the container relative. to the bottom thereof and the cover when the latter is in position on the container.

2. An adjustable developing tank comprising acontainer, a cover therefor having a funnel section with a depending nozzle, the bottom of the container having reel-centering means, the latter and said nozzle being spaced apart a xed distance when the cover is in place on the container,

and a reel comprising upper and lower reel heads having nlm-receiving ribs, the lower head having an axial extension and centrally disposed means at its outer face cooperating with said reel-centering means, the inner portion of said axial extension being threaded, a plurality of spacing collars of various axial dimensions and the outside diameter of each being less than the diameter oi the radially innermost ribs of the heads whereby the collars may be disposed interchangeably between said heads and on the outside of the upper head so that the latter may be placed closer to the lower head than when all of said collars are placed between said heads, a

clamp said heads and collars together irrespective of whether any or all of the latter are placed inside or outside of said other head, and means at the upper end of the reel to telescopically receive said nozzle and spaced apart a iixed distance axvially from said centrally disposed means independently of whether said collars are disposed inside o r outside said upper head and corresponding generally to the iixed spacing between the reelcentering means on said container bottom and said nozzle for mounting said reel for rotation in the container relative to the bottom thereof and the cover when the latter is in position on the container.

3. An adjustable developing tank comprising'a container, a cover therefor, the latter and the bottom of the container having reel-receiving means spaced apart a xed distance, and a reel comprising upper and lower reel heads having nlm-receiving grooves, one of said heads having a central opening, a tubular rod having a anged head at one end and adapted t'o be inserted through said opening and connected at its other end to the other reel head, a plurality of interchangeablespacing collars arranged to be disposed optionally between said reel heads and between said one reel head and the head of said tubular rod, whereby the distance between said reelheads may be varied to accommodate a plurality of lm sizes but without varying the distance between said other reel head and the head ofsaid tubular rod, and means on said other reel head and said head of the tubular rod and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the xed spacing between 'the reel-receiving means on said container bottom and said cover for mounting said reel for rotation in the container relative to the bottom thereof and the cover when the latter is in position on the cover.

4.An adjustable developing tank as dened in claim 3, further characterized by an axial extension formed on saidother head and threaded interiorly torreceive the threaded end of said tubular rod. i

5. An adjustable developing tanlr as detlned in claim 3, further characterized by an'axial extension formed on said other head and threaded interiorly to receive the threaded end ofsaid tubular rod and all of said interchangeable ycollars slidably tting over said tubular rod optionally between the flanged head thereof and said one reel head or between the latter and said axial extension.

6. Anl adjustable developing tank as defined in claim 3, further characterized by said spacing collars being of dii'l'erent axial dimensions'whereby the reel heads vvmay be adjusted for various widths oi film by diierent combinationsV ofone or more collars on said tubular rod on one or the other sides of said one head.

7. .An` adjustable developing tank as dened in claim 3, further characterized by an axial ex tension formed lon said other head` and threaded interiorly to receive the .threaded end of said tubular rod, said axial extension and vthe outer Vface of saidone head each having a notch adjacent the portion receiving said threaded rod. the opposite face of said one head having a projecting lug, and each oi' said collars -having a similar notch at one end and a projecting lug' at the lother end, whereby the interengagementof the notches and lugs serves to lock said one head against rotasaid axial extension and cooperating therewith toltion relative tothe other Yhead while accorflmo-v dating rotation of said tubular rod to clamp the I collars and heads together in tion.

8. An adjustable developing tank comprising a container, a cover therefor, the latter and the bottom of the container having reel-receiving means spaced aparta iixed distance, and a reel comprising upper and lower reel heads having film-receiving grooves, lthe lower head having an Vaxial tubular extension and the upper head-having an opening for slidably receiving said exten, sion, the latter having aportion of larger diameter adjacent the lower head and terminating in axially' fixed posia shoulder, a plurality vof spacing collars of sub-` stantially the same diameter as said enlarged portion of the tubular extension and each slidable on the latter, cooperatingA axially extending notchesand lugs formed on the ends of said collars, on said shoulder and on the inner face of said upper head, whereby the latter is vheld in position relative to the lower head through the connection oi said upper head with the shouldered portion oilsaid tubular extension, a/ nut threaded onto the outer end of said tubular extension for holding said upper head and any associated collars in position on the tubular extension with said notch and lug means in engagement, and means on the lower head andJ at the end of said tubular extension receiving said nut and cooperating with said reel-receiving means for mounting said reel for rotation relative to the container and'cover. i h

9. A reel for a developing tank comprising'a pair o! reel heads, one having an axial extension with its outer portion threaded and each having film receiving generally arcuate grooves, a plu- 4 rality of spacing collars of various axial lengths, and' a threadedv member adapted to be engaged with said axial extension and cooperating' therewith to clamp said heads and collars together, the outside diameter of each collar being -less than the diameter of the radially innermost groove, whereby the collars may be interchangeably disposed either on the inside of the other head between the latter and said one head or on the outv side between. said other head and said threaded member, so as to position said heads optionally to accommodate films of various diierent widths. both oi' said heads and said-collars carrying axially 'engageabie interlocking means whereby for .y

the most narrow illm the heads are interlocked directly together to prevent relative rotation `,of onezwith respect to the other and for ythe wider film, when one or more collars are placed between said heads, said other head is locked to said one head through the` interposed and interlocked collars.

10.` A reel/as dened in claim 9 characterized further by said threaded member comprising a tubular rod having a .head at its outer end andv its inner end' extending through said other head and all of the spacing collars in any position oiv 

